STE: Second of September
by ZenosParadox
Summary: RS. Septermber 2nd is a special day for Malcolm Reed. It becomes a special day for Hoshi Sato as well.


Title: Second of September  
  
Author: ZenosParadox  
  
Rating: G  
  
Summary: RS. September 2nd is a special day for Malcolm Reed. It becomes a special day for Hoshi Sato as well.  
  
Disclaimer: The characters belong to Paramount. This fiction was written solely for personal enjoyment.  
  
SECOND OF SEPTEMBER  
  
~Day One~  
  
"A son, Mary, I can't thank you enough for giving me a son," said Stuart Reed as he looked at his wife who lay exhausted from labor.  
  
"I think you had a hand in determining the sex, dear. That's the father's contribution," mumbled Mary Reed.   
  
"Well, Sherry sent this for him. It's not very masculine, though." Stuart held up a knitted blanket that had yellow, pink and blue.  
  
"You never know what makes a baby feel comfortable, Stuart. It's very soft. Besides, as a baby our Malcolm won't know the difference between boy colors and girl colors."  
  
"My son will know, Mary."  
  
And that's just the attitude that bothered her.  
  
-----  
  
~Five years~  
  
"Your tears won't change what happened, Malcolm. You're a big brother now and need to help your Mum take care of Madeline." Stuart's voice was as gentle as he could make it considering the near disaster that had happened, but his son should have been more vigilant.   
  
"But, Maddie walked so fast! I tried to reach her before she got to the stairs," pleaded Malcolm. He almost preferred his father's loud voice of displeasure to the disappointment he clearly read in his tone of voice.  
  
"You let yourself get too distracted with your birthday party, Malcolm. Your mother was on the phone all afternoon to cancel it after Maddie got hurt."  
  
"She'll be okay? Mum said Maddie just got a bruise," began Malcolm in a panicked voice. He was rubbing the edge of a knitted blanket that had yellow, pink and blue fibers as he sat up in his bed. The blanket lay underneath a pillow, but one edge was worn.  
  
Stuart finally noticed the blanket and heaved a sigh. This is what comes of being too lenient. The boy needed to toughen up, be diligent.  
  
"Here, give me that. I told your mother it was a mistake to let you keep it. It's not very masculine, now is it? So, just think about what you've done. Good night."  
  
Malcolm fell back against the pillow and looked out his window. His one source of comfort was gone now. Could he ever find something to replace it? And as he asked his question, he noticed a star in the night. It was bright and looked beautiful against the darkness. The shining star comforted him and he made his wish. One day he wanted a star to call his very own.  
  
Across the world a child was being conceived. The child would be a daughter and when the time came to name her, both parents would think of only one name. Hoshi.  
  
-----  
  
~Eighteen years~  
  
"I have to be there by noon, Maddie," insisted Malcolm. It was his birthday, but he had spent his entire day preparing for his departure from his family.  
  
"This won't take long, I promise. Here," said Madeline as she extended a brightly wrapped package to him.  
  
"You didn't have to get me anything," insisted Malcolm as he unwrapped the present. Madeline just shrugged and watched patiently as he drew forth the contents. He was speechless as he recognized the blanket with yellow, pink and blue threads.  
  
"I kept it for you, Malcolm. Father was actually going to give it away, but then I remembered the story Mum told me about the day you were born." Madeline gently took it from his hands and held up the baby blanket.   
  
"It's not very masculine, Maddie." Malcolm automatically echoed the words of his father. He had not seen the blanket since Stuart Reed had found him crying in his bed on his fifth birthday.   
  
"You're leaving us, Malcolm, and on your birthday of all days. Father will never know; he thinks it's long gone. Please, for me? I have a feeling it will be a long time before we see each other again."  
  
Malcolm just shook his head. His sister had a kind heart, but she didn't know him at all. How could he even think of bringing this along? He'd humor Maddie, then get rid of it at his first opportunity.   
  
"I'll pack it in my bags. See, there it is."  
  
Malcolm was waiting alone at the station. His solitude was interrupted when he heard a mother scolding her young daughter in an Asian language. Judging by the camera around the woman's neck, he assumed they were tourists. He couldn't see the daughter's face, but her dark hair was obviously damp from the rain.   
  
Malcolm pulled the blanket from his bags and thanked heaven for this perfect opportunity to be rid of it. He touched it one last time remembering the comfort he would draw from it as a child. At least it would again offer comfort to someone. He approached the women and reached over the daughter's head to give the blanket to the mother.  
  
"For your daughter. Please," said Malcolm. He hoped they would have some command of English, but he had to step away quickly to meet his transport.  
  
"Thank you, young man," called the mother. Before the thirteen-year old daughter could turn around to add her thanks, the young man was gone.  
  
"Now, there, Hoshi, is the sort of man you want to find. I still can't believe how wet you got..."  
  
-----  
  
~Thirty-five years~  
  
"He's so beautiful, Hoshi," said Malcolm as he watched his wife holding their new son. Colin Reed had been born on Malcolm Reed's birthday much to the amusement of Travis Mayweather who won the betting pool.   
  
"I wish our parents could see him in person, Malcolm," said Hoshi, still unbelieving that this minor miracle was in her arms.  
  
"So do I," said Malcolm.   
  
His son was wrapped in a soft blanket knitted with yellow, pink and blue yarn. Colin wouldn't know the difference between boy colors and girl colors--and that's just the way Malcolm intended to keep it.   
  
Somehow the blanket had managed to fall into the right hands all those years ago. Malcolm looked at his Hoshi and thought of the little boy who had wished for his own star. Birthday wishes, it seems, do come true.  
  
*****  
  
Author Notes:  
  
Hoshi means star in Japanese. In honor of Malcolm Reed's birthday, I took a drabble from the R/S forum at LD and got this, but sometimes you just need something sweet. Written September 1, 2003, 3 p and posted at LD.   
  
Thanks for reading. No reviews are necessary. 


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